On behalf of a large insurer, msg Systems ag Switzerland was looking for an analysis tool to rewrite parts of a business-critical core application. For this purpose, a tool should be found that automatically extracts the business logic from the application and displays it clearly so that it can be understood more quickly and transferred into a new language.
There are special hurdles to overcome in modernization projects: On the one hand, some of the original developers are no longer available. Instead, the applications are maintained by their "heirs" who, however, know nothing of the origins and the reasons for certain decisions. On the other hand, the existing documentation is used to support the maintenance. But for modernization or rewriting information is required that the documentation usually does not provide. Thus, the only reliable source is the source code itself. The problem is aggravated when a service provider wants to understand or modernize a customer's application. So how can the knowledge necessary for modernization be transferred and possibly even regained?
The msg is confronted with this task - for a large insurance company, parts of a business-critical core application should be rewritten. The existing application was developed in COBOL and PL/I, partly native and partly generated with Delta ADS. The msg decided to evaluate the performance of AMELIO Logic Discovery. A part of this application has been removed and analyzed and assessed manually and automatically. It quickly became clear:
"AMELIO Logic Discovery helps and presents everything very clearly!"
msg Systems
AMELIO works model-oriented and makes the analysis results available as language-neutral documentation. AMELIO is configurable and can be perfectly adapted to the needs of a (modernization) project.
Clear Recommendation for AMELIO
The msg is convinced that AMELIO is a great help with modernization and offers support with the conversion. The knowledge of an application can be built up faster, easier and more securely so that it can be rewritten more efficiently.
About the msg Group
The msg systems ag Switzerland is part of msg, an independent group of companies with more than 8,500 employees. The msg group is active in 28 countries in the automotive, banking, consumer products, food, healthcare, insurance, life science & chemicals, manufacturing, public sector, telecommunications, travel & logistics and utilities sectors and supports its customers in their digital transformation.
See for Yourself
Do you also have business-critical core applications and are looking for a way to analyze them fully automatically and reliably?
Then contact us. We would be happy to show you the capabilities of AMELIO Logic Discovery using your examples.
The project has successfully completed. You can find the project report here:
IMS Replacement at Gothaer: In Time – In Budget – In Scope
Together with Delta Software Technology GmbH, Gothaer Systems is consolidating its IMS databases into IBM Db2.
Gothaer Systems (GoSys) aims to migrate all its data stored in IMS/DB to new Db2 structures. IMS/DB data access calls in the existing COBOL programs (both native and generated with Delta ADS) should be replaced automatically, with the aim of completely replacing the IMS databases. Delta Software Technology (Delta) offers know-how and the right tools for this task. By building a tailor-made factory with AMELIO Modernization Platform (AMELIO), all necessary steps for the migration can be performed automatically.
Proof of Concept
In the first step, Delta presented the procedure and the basic functionality for the automated transformations with AMELIO. After a successful proof of concept, in which the concepts and techniques of the fully automatic transformation were verified, GoSys decided to go this path together with Delta.
Project started
We are currently in the middle of the project: In close coordination between GoSys and Delta, the AMELIO-Factory has been successfully configured and is constantly being expanded. Regular maintenance and further development continues during the setup phase. The resulting new versions of source modules are included in the ongoing AMELIO work. After the successful transformation of the applications, they are transferred to GoSys in order to check and approve these modules using meta-level testing.
The first packages with IMS databases and all of their data and applications have now been successfully transformed to use Db2 and are in productive use.
Get to know AMELIO and Delta as well
Due to the high degree of automation, transformations can be repeated, understood and reproduced at any time. Freeze periods are reduced to a few days. The migration can be divided into packages and the result is applications that can still be used and maintained without a footprint or vendor lock-in.
- Would you like to find out more about such migration projects or are you planning a modernization or refactoring?
- Do you want to migrate an application package to a new platform?
- Are you interested in mass change automation?
We would be happy to show you which options the AMELIO Modernization Platform offers you. We are looking forward to your contact.
About Gothaer Systems
„Gothaer Systems is the central IT service provider for the Gothaer Group. We ensure that Gothaer is always up to date with the latest information technology: through innovations and continuous further development of technology and organization. We also provide the infrastructure for the access to data and business processes. This is how we ensure a high level of IT quality within the group - and thus support Gothaer's business.“
Further Information
Here you can find more articles on the topic:
- IMS Replacement at Gothaer: In Time – In Budget – In Scope
- Provinzial realizes complete migration from IBM IMS/DB to IBM Db2 with Delta
- Automatically replacing IBM IMS/DB
- Successfully Replace IMS Databases
- IBM IMS/DB? Modernization Now!
- Modernization Project at BSQ Bauspar AG
Download Language: Englisch - Version: MT21097.01
Gothaer Systems migrates its IBM IMS databases to IBM Db2 together with Delta Software Technology
Read moreDownload Language: Englisch - Version: MT21092.01
Together with Delta Software Technology GmbH, Gothaer Systems is consolidating its IMS databases into IBM DB2.
Read moreDownload Language: Englisch - Version: MT21082.01
Safe Replacement of IMS Databases: How to Succeed!
Read more
A modern development environment is the goal for the software developers of a large insurer. Together with Micro Focus and Delta Software Technology, the insurance company examined the connection of Delta ADS to Micro Focus Enterprise Developer for Z.
The insurance company based in Germany successfully uses the Delta ADS for COBOL generator from Delta Software Technology (Delta) for decades. The ADS programs are developed on the host, maintained and then generated in COBOL tailor-made to the customer’s requirements.
In order to provide the developers with a modern development environment, several approaches from various manufacturers were assessed. The long-term goal is to offer Java developers as well as COBOL and Delta ADS developers a uniform platform. The decision was made to perform a more in-depth analysis of Micro Focus Enterprise Developer for Z (Micro Focus EDz) and Delta ADS on Eclipse. The use of Delta ADS on Eclipse has the advantage that it can be integrated directly into all Eclipse-based environments.
Added value created
With the help of Delta ADS on Eclipse (respectively ADS on Micro Focus EDz), the development and maintenance of the Delta programs is greatly simplified and modernized. By using analysis and coverage functions as well as the use of the post-generation debugger, the maintenance is accelerated because the application heirs have easier access to the ADS programs. It is also possible to offload the generation process of the ADS programs to the PC. This saves, among other things, valuable CPU time on the mainframe.
Delta ADS on Micro Focus Enterprise Developer for Z
Thanks to the good partnership between Micro Focus GmbH and Delta, nothing stood in the way of expanding the Delta ADS connection to Micro Focus EDz. The development and generation processes of Delta ADS programs were seamlessly integrated into Micro Focus EDz. This made it possible to provide the insurance company with a uniform solution.
The insurance company has now successfully put this joint solution through its paces and found it to be good. Nothing stands in the way of a long-term use.
Go the same way
Would you also like to provide your developers with a modern and integrated development environment? Get in touch with us, ADS on Eclipse is also available for other Eclipse-based development environments and Microsoft Visual Studio. In addition, active Delta customers receive the upgrade to the latest Delta ADS version free of charge.
Go the same way and simplify the maintenance and development of your Delta ADS applications - the application heirs will thank you.
„For us it is and has always been of crucial importance that the Delta tools are supported in the long term. This also means that they are constantly being developed to meet new requirements, always on the cutting edge of technology. An excellent example of this is the extensive integration into the open standard Eclipse. That fits perfectly into our strategy of a modern and future-proof development landscape.“
Peter Bauch,Management Board, B+S Banksysteme
More about ADS on Eclipse
Would you like to know how you can easily perform your application development with ADS under Eclipse? Please contact us.
Aquila Heywood improves its Delta ADS software development by moving to Eclipse and Update to Delta ADS 6.
Aquila Heywood develops and maintains its “Altair” pensions administration package with Delta ADS for COBOL for decades. During these years the development has been performed using the SCOUT² development environment provided by Delta Software Technology.
As most of the other software development at Aquila Heywood is done in an Eclipse environment already, the decision was made to migrate the Delta ADS development to Eclipse too. Delta Software Technology provided the Plug-in to support the Delta ADS generation process and the resulting object types. With this change to one single development platform Aquila Heywood want to improve the productivity of its development. The extra functionality that is provided with the Eclipse Plug-in contributes to that.
ADS on Eclipse
Delta’s Eclipse Environment, ADS on Eclipse, facilitates the development with Delta ADS by integrating Editor, Generator and the Post-Generation debugger under Eclipse. The modern environment enables better understanding of the application as the generator provides more information about the use of the components that contribute to the application. It also provides all modern handling like chroma coding, code folding and coding assistance as well as extensive documentation possibilities. In addition, it allows a seamless integration of the development with ADS in the overall development process.
“After installation of the Plug-in we tested the generated output and it was 100% identical. Therefore we will go productive with the Delta ADS development on Eclipse in the beginning of 2019. As developers we can now work in one environment without having to switch between SCOUT² and Eclipse.”
Graham Dohren - Senior Developer at Aquila Heywood
About Aquila Heywood
Aquila Heywood is the largest provider of life, pensions, and investment policy administration platforms in the UK and Ireland, and the fifth largest across the EU. More than 200 commercial and public sector organisations use its highly scalable administration platform to manage the lifetime financial security of over ten million working pensions members, and make over 20 million payments a year to retirees.
Download Language: Englisch - Version: MT21090.01
Aquila Heywood improves its Delta ADS software development by moving to Eclipse and Update to ADS 6.
Read moreSame Development Environment for Different Programming Languages
The Bedag Informatik AG modernises its development environment and combines the development in C# and Delta ADS in a .NET framework under Microsoft Visual Studio.
A uniform process control and development environment for the different programming languages is the goal of many enterprises. Bedag Informatik AG (Bedag) has mastered this step, it unifies its development processes and thus ensures a more efficient and future-proof application development.
(Further) Development of Viacar
Bedag develops and maintains the Viacar application with the solutions from Delta Software Technology GmbH (Delta) for many years. Many business cases as well as different canton-specific requirements were developed and generated Viacar-wide with Delta ADS.
New parts of the application are developed in C# for .NET by using Microsoft Visual Studio. In order to avoid unnecessarily different processes and development environments, Bedag had the requirement to standardise its development of C# and Delta COBOL in one development environment.
Introduction of Delta ADS on Visual Studio
For this purpose Delta provided the plugin “Delta ADS on Visual Studio”. After a successful test, Bedag opted for the use of the Delta ADS plugin under Visual Studio. Delta ADS programs can now be maintained directly in Visual Studio and the corresponding COBOL code is generated. In this way, control processes could be unified and coordinated.
By using a unique development environment as well as the seamless integration of the Delta ADS plugin, Bedag's developers do not have to switch between the development environments anymore. The provision of this uniform and modern user interface allows the efficient and future-proof development of the application.
About Bedag Informatik AG
With a revenue of more than CHF 100 million, Bedag is a leading Swiss IT service provider. Its 400 staff, including 27 trainees, ensure broad and sound IT expertise. Bedag’s core business is the development, maintenance and running of critical business IT solutions, and the company thereby guarantees economical and problem-free IT operations for its customers. Bedag has a strong regional presence, with a network of highly secure data centers, as well as sites in Berne, Aarau, Delémont, Geneva, Lausanne and Wettingen. Its customers are mainly public authorities and organisations, companies in the health and insurance sectors and UN organisations. Bedag was founded in 1990 and is owned by the Canton of Berne.
Viacar: The application for the Swiss Traffic Office
Viacar is a software system for traffic offices and is currently used by the six cantons Aargau, Luzern, Schaffhausen, Waadt, Zug and Zürich. The cantons manage therewith about 900 users and approx. 2.5 million vehicles and ships. At the Aarau location, Bedag and its team ensure the maintenance and further development of Viacar.
Go the way, too
If you want to standardise your development environment and processes under Visual Studio, we provide a trial version of the Delta ADS plugin.
If you don’t use Visual Studio, we also provide plugins for Eclipse as well as for IBM RDz, Micro Focus EDz, Compuware Topaz and other Eclipse-based development environments.
We would like to discuss with you the possibilities to optimize your development with Delta ADS.
Download Language: Englisch - Version: mt21086-01
The Bedag Informatik AG modernises its development environment and combines the development in C# and Delta ADS in a .NET framework under Microsoft Visual Studio.
Read moreA large insurer has renovated a key component of his core application with the solutions from Delta Software Technology (Delta). Delta's AMELIO-Tools for automated analyses, code clean-up and re-documentation ensure a future-proof application infrastructure and an easy know-how transfer to the application heirs.
In the 1980s the insurer's IT developed a COBOL application for the screen control. Until now this forms an important part of the application infrastructure. Since its initial development this part of the application and the entire application have evolved: Extensions have been added over and over again. The screen control has been maintained by several generations of developers. Different programming styles and COBOL versions have been used for the further development. Moreover, the screen control has been optimized according to former criteria. These criteria are no longer applicable. However, over time all of these measures have greatly affected understandability and maintainability.
The screen control has proven itself over the years. For this reason, it was decided to make this part of the established and reliable application fit for the future to preserve the proven application logic and to ensure the investments effected. The improvement of the application should be carried out safely and with as less effort as possible.
Fit for the future
For making the application fit, the following measures should be implemented:
- Clean-up and upgrade (refactoring) of the source code, so that it will be understandable and maintainable again and that changes and extensions can be implemented efficiently.
- Creating a technical documentation to better understand what the application does and how it works.
- Knowledge transfer about the application and its functionality to new developers.
A manual implementation of the measures would have been risky and inefficient:
- Efforts and risks could not be estimated.
- The daily business would have been disturbed due to a strong resource commitment.
- Massive testing efforts, to ensure the correctness of the changes.
The insurer has chosen the automated solution with Delta’s tools and was able to avoid the problems of a manual approach.
Usage of the Delta AMELIO family
To solve the task, Delta suggested a multi-level approach with the following elements:
- Code clean-up
- Replacement of VORELLE
- In-depth source analyses
- Refactoring
- Re-documentation
- Workshops for the knowledge transfer
Analysis and clean-up of the sources
During the first step, the AMELIO toolset was configured regarding the customer-specific programming styles, name conventions, etc. General clean-ups, like the removal of redundant code and the standardisation of syntax variants, were implemented by using the AMELIO CleanUp-Factory.
The analysis with AMELIO Logic Discovery identified what the application does and how it works. From these analysis results Delta derived suggestions for a tailor-made refactoring. These suggestions, as well as other requirements of the customer, were evaluated and coordinated in close cooperation to build the customer-specific factory.
With this tailor-made solution the refactoring was performed in an audit-proof way.
Workshop for the knowledge transfer
The results of the analyses and the refactoring were presented in a workshop and thus new employees were trained to work with the implementation of the screen control. Further possible improvements of the application were defined. The employees benefitted from the functionality of AMELIO Logic Discovery when implementing these improvements. They gained deep insight in the sources and were able to build their know-how about the application.
Final analysis and re-documentation
Finally, these sources were analysed again by AMELIO Logic Discovery and a documentation of the entire application was created automatically. With the help of this documentation and the interactive presentation in AMELIO Logic Discovery, first maintenance cases have been implemented quick and efficiently.
Highlights and benefits of the Delta solution
The clean-up and refactoring were performed by a factory specifically configured for this purpose:
- Automated - The changes were implemented automatically and without manual interventions. The strict process ensured that the results are always comprehensible and reproducible. In this way, efforts and risks of the project have been minimized.
- Audit-proof - All changes to the code have been documented automatically. The complete automation and the change log provide security for internal and external auditors.
- Tailor-made - The necessary code changes were agreed with the customer and adapted to his requirements and company policies.
- Documented - A documentation of the application was created automatically.
- Knowledge Building - The knowledge about the application and its functioning was regained.
- Without footprints, without vendor lock-in - No additional runtime components or new products have to be installed or licensed. In addition, third-party tools, such as the decision table generator VORELLE, could been removed.
- Short freeze phase - The development and maintenance of the application could be continued in parallel without hindrance.
- Minimal test effort - Using Meta-level testing, not all changed programs had to be tested, but only the change rules using a small test set.
Goal achieved …
The customer has managed to make his application fit for the future with little effort and low risk. With the gained experience it is now possible to decide how to make further (complex) applications fit for the future, while reusing the factory.
When will you make this step?
You have COBOL, PL/I or Delta ADS applications that have proven themselves and you want to make sure they are fit for the future?
Get in touch with us and find out what is possible with an automated approach.
Download Language: Englisch - Version: mt21089-1
A large insurer has renovated a key component of its core application with the solutions from Delta Software Technology. Deltas AMELIO-Tools for automated analyses, code
clean-up and re-documentation ensure a future-proof application infrastructure as an easy know-how transfer to the application heirs.